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Key facts related to joint medical school

BLACKSBURG, Va., Jan. 3, 2007 – Virginia Tech and Carilion will create a jointly operated private medical school, located in downtown Roanoke. The new school will be dedicated to training physician researchers. In addition to a traditional medical school curriculum, all students will receive training in research methods, conduct original research and write a thesis as a condition of graduation.

To accommodate the expanded graduation requirements, the school will have a five-year curriculum instead of the traditional four-year curriculum.[Ed. Note: After evaluating the program, VTC educators elected to establish a four year curriculum. However, students will produce a research project of publishable caliber as a requirement of graduation.]

School Details

Small, 40 students per class. Total enrollment when the full five-year program is underway would be approximately 200 students

Main Location: Roanoke, in the Riverside Corporate Center; see a site plan

Private, 50/50 joint venture of Carilion and Virginia Tech

Tuition: comparable to other private medical schools

The school will be patterned after Harvard Medical School’s Health Sciences and Technology program and Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner College of Medicine.

Education and Research

In addition to a traditional medical school curriculum, all students will receive training in research methods, conduct original research and write a thesis as a condition of graduation

To accommodate the expanded graduation requirements, the school will have a five year curriculum instead of the traditional four year curriculum. [Ed. Note: After evaluating the program, VTC educators elected to establish a four year curriculum. However, students will produce a research project of publishable caliber as a requirement of graduation.]

Training in the principles of conducting research will be integrated in the entire curriculum, beginning in the first year

Small class size will support the Problem Based Learning and seminar instructional format intended for the school

In addition to training students to be excellent clinical doctors, the goal is to train research physicians who wish to make research part of their medical career

Concurrent MD and master’s degree program possible during five year program [Ed. Note: After evaluating the program, VTC educators elected to establish a four year curriculum. However, students will produce a research project of publishable caliber as a requirement of graduation.]

The partnership takes advantage of Virginia Tech’s world-class research programs that are applicable to medical research, such as bioinformatics, computer science and engineering

Need

30 million people, including communities in Virginia, are currently affected by physician shortages

A 30 percent increase in medical school enrollment is needed to meet future needs – this will require the creation of new medical schools (American Association of Medical Colleges –AAMC)

Area’s physician population is aging – graduating physician specialists are more likely to locate close to the place where they received their training

The school will also help fill a national need for research physicians; less than two percent of active physicians are pursuing careers involving research

Cost

Although the school’s financial plan is not yet finalized, Carilion and Virginia Tech are in a unique position to develop a cost effective, financial self sustaining school

The key academic infrastructure needed for a medical school is already in place at Virginia Tech and Carilion

Carilion has been part of a strong and successful medical education program for more than 50 years, and currently sponsors seven medical residency programs with more than 100 full-time faculty physicians

Virginia Tech currently teaches most of the basic science courses needed for a medical school curriculum

Virginia Tech already has a vast array of applicable world-class research underway in which the students may participate

Virginia Tech and Carilion will rely on current resources plus tuition to meet the school’s operating needs

Philanthropic gifts are anticipated to fund future programs

One-time state funding will be sought to help build the school in the spirit of a public-private partnership

Benefits

The school will have a significant impact on regional economic development. every dollar spent by a medical school or teaching hospital creates an additional $1.30 in economic activity (AAMC)